Portfolio+Meditation+-+How+does+students’+language+development+affect+their+learning?

Kerry Storace December 22, 2014 CTGE 5531 Portfolio Meditation: How does students’ language development affect their learning?  Students develop language from a number of different mediums. They read novels and magazines, they watch films and television, and they converse with many different people throughout their lives, as we all do. One of the most significant lingual influence is school and academics. Language is not simply acquired or developed in a school setting, it is specifically taught in a certain way. This can be helpful as students need Standard English skills to be successful in an academic setting but it can also be isolating if English is your second language or if you struggle with reading or writing. Academic language in a class room can often be a catalyst for social change and acceptance as opposed to judgment or prejudices.  One example of social change stemming from language was a school that addressed the issues behind reading //The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn//. This novel has long been regarded a masterpiece of literature, however, it uses the N word quite frequently and casually. This makes the story more authentic as this was customary in the time period where the story takes place, however, it is not socially acceptable in the present day. As such, there is a lot of tension and controversy surrounding the teaching of that book. One article I read discussed a town where this point of tension was encountered. Instead of banning the book or ignoring the situation, the town, faculty, and students came together to discuss the issue and find a mutually beneficial resolution. To read this novel in a class is not to encourage use of the N word, rather, it is meant to expose students to a different time period and culture. History should not be ignored or repeated. This issue regarding language sparked an entire community to collaborate on students’ learning.  It is important for students to understand that different parts of the world use different dialects. Part of the reason we ask them to read literature is so that they can understand other cultures and communities. In my sentence gem assignment, I used a quote from a young adult novel that was written in the first person. One of the things the character says is “. I tell you, it was night at three o’clock in the afternoon.” This sentence displays the characters dialect which is specific to her region and time period. This allows the character to have a voice and a personality. The author uses language to engage the reader and influence the reader to be invested in the character.  Language does not only cause social change, it can also be affected by it. One of the controversies being discussed right now is the issue of “text speech” or the language students use in text messages. I myself use shorthand in my texts. One article I read mentioned a couple of different schools of thought regarding this issue. Some people feel that it negatively influences students writing as they become used to using incorrect grammar. Others feel that, at the very least, students are writing. I am not sure how I feel about this. Students generally understand that they cannot substitute “u” for “you” in an essay or school assignment but there is so much lingo associated with text messages that students are learning the meaning of WTF the same time they are learning Standard English in their school setting. This is a lot to keep track of.  One of the challenges of teaching grammar in school is that it is not an exciting subject. In my lesson reflection, I discuss the fact that I had some trouble keeping the students’ attention. In addition to that, students found the assignment quite easy (breaking up run-on sentences) yet they so frequently use run-on sentences in their writing. It is important to connect grammar to real written work so that students understand how to employ it.